مَّا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا تَكْتُمُونَ 99
Translations
Not upon the Messenger is [responsibility] except [for] notification. And Allāh knows whatever you reveal and whatever you conceal.
Transliteration
Maa alaa ar-rasooli illa al-balagh. Wa-Allahu ya'lamu maa tubdoon wa maa taktumoon.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah clarifies that the Prophet Muhammad's (ﷺ) sole responsibility is to convey the message of Islam clearly to humanity, while the outcome and acceptance of faith rests with Allah alone. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this verse absolves the Prophet of responsibility for those who reject the message, as Allah is fully aware of both the outward deeds and hidden intentions of all people. This principle relieves the Prophet of the burden of forcing belief and establishes that divine knowledge encompasses all human actions, whether manifest or concealed.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Ma'idah, which was revealed in the Medinan period and addresses various religious rulings and interpersonal conduct. The broader context of 5:99 relates to the Prophet's mission and the limits of his responsibility, reinforcing themes of divine wisdom and human free will that are central to Quranic teachings about prophethood.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of those who follow him, without the reward of those followers being diminished in any way.' (Sahih Muslim 2674). Additionally, 'The best jihad is a word of justice before a tyrannical ruler' (Sunan Ibn Majah 4011) reflects the principle that the believer's duty is to convey truth, with outcomes in Allah's hands.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that our responsibility is to communicate truth sincerely and ethically, while entrusting outcomes to Allah's wisdom—a liberating principle that reduces anxiety about results beyond our control and encourages focus on sincere effort rather than guaranteed success.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى ٱلْحَوَارِيِّـۧنَ أَنْ ءَامِنُوا۟ بِى وَبِرَسُولِى قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ
And [remember] when I inspired to the disciples, "Believe in Me and in My messenger [i.e., Jesus]." They said, "We have believed, so bear witness that indeed we are Muslims [in submission to Allāh]."
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَسْتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ تُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۗ وَلَيَزِيدَنَّ كَثِيرًا مِّنْهُم مَّآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ طُغْيَـٰنًا وَكُفْرًا ۖ فَلَا تَأْسَ عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
Say, "O People of the Scripture, you are [standing] on nothing until you uphold [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to you from your Lord [i.e., the Qur’ān]." And that which has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them in transgression and disbelief. So do not grieve over the disbelieving people.
أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُۥ مَتَـٰعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ ۖ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ ٱلْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًا ۗ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ
Lawful to you is game from the sea and its food as provision for you and the travelers, but forbidden to you is game from the land as long as you are in the state of iḥrām. And fear Allāh to whom you will be gathered.
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لَا تَغْلُوا۟ فِى دِينِكُمْ غَيْرَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوٓا۟ أَهْوَآءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا۟ كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّوا۟ عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ
Say, "O People of the Scripture, do not exceed limits in your religion beyond the truth and do not follow the inclinations of a people who had gone astray before and misled many and have strayed from the soundness of the way."